Weekly Round Up

The Winter Thrushes remain on Snakey numbering around 200 with 90%ish Fieldfare...

Always livens up a drive through.

Wednesday morning at first light had me down there once again on my way to Lancs...via Duff of course! My early start was rewarded with a Peregrine (P.65, H.57) "arrowing" North, low over the road in front of me.

Duff was quiet but three Stonechats entertained, two of which came close on the reeds...

Three chaps from West Yorkshire entered the Hide and we had a good chat about the Reserve. Enjoyed it.

This afternoon I made the walk North on a very mild Friday. Things are greening up now and there's a hint of Birdsong. A few Crows fed in the Clifftop fields and a couple came "in off". Unfortunately none of them had a "hood"! I noticed a few RTD's offshore. Then, a much closer bird...

Guillimot (P.66, H.58)

As I reached the second Pill box I noticed more Red-throated Divers on the sea. I started to scan hoping for something else but nothing stood out. Then as I scanned South I saw something I'd never seen here before in 11 Years. There were "flocks" of RTDs heading North at mid-distance!!! A truly amazing and memorable sight! At one point I had at least FIFTY birds in the air! They were low over the water in a loose flock and they kept on coming. A conservative estimate would be 200 in total. It was all over in a couple of minutes but many landed on the sea just North of the Pill box. Fantastic!!!

The camera was shaking somewhat but I managed to record the occasion to an extent...

Something DID eventually stand out when I managed a brief view of a Black-throated Diver (P.67, H.59) before it continued North.

This "event" made me wonder if it was weather related, due to the unusually mild temperatures? Our Tawny Owls (P.68, H.60) were obviously enjoying it, as they struck up before dusk.